2018 Plans

[100]

FCA CEO: "We have taken a hard look at the North American footprint. There are no plant closures envisioned by this."


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(Photo: photo)


Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne said the automaker will announce changes to its North American production plans along with a revised five-year strategic plan at the end of this month.
Marchionne confirmed Monday that the future of the Dodge Viper SRT, produced at the company's Conner Avenue Assembly plant in Detroit, is in question, among other changes in the works. Sales of the Viper have been disappointing since its 2012 relaunch, Marchionne said Monday.
"There is a possibility a new Viper may eventually surface," Marchionne said, but "every economic analysis that we have carried out for keeping that vehicle alive in its current state doesn't add up."
Additional changes could mean shifting where certain vehicles are produced and an update of global plans for its Alfa Romeo and Maserati brands.
Marchionne delivered the news Monday, the same day FCA revealed its 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan, which is being produced in Windsor following a $2-billion investment there.

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USA TODAYFiat Chrysler's Dodge Viper faces uncertain future
(http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2015/10/15/fiat-chrysler-viper-production-uaw-talks-united-auto-workers/73997886/)



The Free Press reported in September that the automaker plans to invest $5.3 billion in U.S. plants over the next four years as it shuffles vehicle production at various U.S. factories and moves production of the Chrysler 200, Dodge Dart and a Jeep crossover from the U.S. to Mexico. The sweeping plan also would move the Jeep Cherokee out of Toledo to Belvidere, Ill., and the Ram 1500 from Warren Truck to Sterling Heights Assembly.
"I think there is good news for everybody around here. Let's wait until the end of the month," Marchionne said. "We have taken a hard look at the North American footprint. There are no plant closures envisioned by this."
Moving on from GM merger talk
The automaker's decision to revise its $52 billion (48 billion euro) five-year strategic plan follows a year when Marchionne publicly stated his desire to explore a merger with General Motors.
Last spring, Marchionne published a treatise called "Confessions of a Capital Junkie," and later urged GM CEO Mary Barra to explore a merger. His overtures were rebuffed several times.
On Monday, Marchionne said his pursuit of a merger with GM, or any other company, should not be viewed as a decision to abandon the automaker's goals.
"One of the things you will see at the end of this month is a renewed a commitment to the 2018 plan," Marchionne said. "So that was not pie in the sky. The capital junkie pitch was not a substitute for the plan."
Marchionne is expecting FCA annual sales of cars and trucks to reach 7 million by 2018, up from 4.6 million in 2014.
He said Monday that the company still plans to reach the same targets but will take a different path to get there.
"The achievement of the plan in '18 will create a company that is fundamentally different than the one you see today," Marchionne said.
There have been doubts about FCA's plan from the start and those doubts have escalated in recent months.

[Coloviper]

Well, unless they are using "crooked accountant math", the numbers will never add up to a positive. As far as I am concerned, he needs a swift look in the mirror by himself as to why the 2012 launch was not good and did not produce the numbers. Give it a bumble gum marketing budget, no real R&D budget, no real racing budget (to where they had to jack up the price to pay for racing) and the constraints he imposed, I am amazed they even relaunched the car at all. He should stick to the mass produced cars as they are all he is good at. Guess we will see but doesn't look good!

[100]

TimK totally gets it -- he just needs to sell Sergio on Viper not making money (on its own as a Halo car.) Dodge has been running incredible Ads & everyone, (including MotorTrend) loves the ACR Extreme -- breaking the track records sealed Viper's fate as Dodge needs to keep the fastest track car in the world.

[Coloviper]

I am not sure either one gets it. I met Tim at NVE1 and I have my reservations based upon that personal experience even though the ACR is being produced now which does show some signs of "getting it". What I don't get is Sergio making his comments when the top selling Viper model in history is the convertible, yet they do not product a factory convertible and have the audacity to complain about sales numbers. What does he mean by every economic analysis in it's current state? What is current state? The factory where it is built? Hand built process? Manual only transmission? V-10 engine? Side Exhaust? What does he mean?

I guess the only good news is they are still talking about it but what appears clear is the Viper if it does continue on after 2017, it will be a much, much different car. Maybe some will be for the good, but some things will be pretty out there. A 2018 new GEN car, they would have to be moving forth with a design right now to have a hope of immediate replacement! Chances are we will see another 1-2 year hiatus for the brand before a new model could be brought to market.

I guess if the Corvette moves to a rear mid-engine car, the Viper could as well. Maybe the old Chrysler ME will be revised and Viper-ized but with a whatever powerplant in place.

[Simms]

Are the Gen V sales really any lower than Gen IV?

[ViperSmith]

Are the Gen V sales really any lower than Gen IV?

The same.

[I Bin Therbefor]

I'm always amused when "the business case" is quoted as the reason for a decision. In my experience, it's an excuse, not a reason. The total expense of the Viper is such a small % impact on the corporation that the cancellation of the Viper will not have a visible impact on the P & L statement at the corporate level.

For the Viper, Ralph is quoted in "SRT Viper" by Liang as saying the production level needed is 2500 cars and that's why the Gen V needed to capture new customers. The assumption was that the faithful would support the Gen V. Neither happened to the level needed to satisfy the business case. The reasons for this failure have been debated ad nauseam on this site. Suffice to say, it was a problem of product definition and execution of marketing.

For the future, there is nothing in sharing a common platform that would inhibit the execution of a genuine Gen VI. The problem is defining a genuine Gen VI.

[ViperJon]

I'll wager the sales of non ACR Gen V's are abysmal now.

[Augdog1964]

If they truly wanted volume, they would add the convertible, and they would add a paddle shift auto... its just the way it is.
Markets change, and products must change to match the market. Heck watch the Ford presentation at the Detroit auto show...
They spent 1/2 of the time talking about how Ford was changing to be a connectivity company that makes cars... with Ryan Seacrest moderating by the way.
Need to sell 2,000 cars... make the changes that sell them.

[bluesrt]

keep it simple stupid, that allways works

[Doug Nash]

Boy if Fiat is going to hang their hats on plants move changes for the other models they will be in trouble. Consumer reports came out with their 10 worst - run away basically models for different categories. Categories such as performance, $ and time spent under warranty, after warranty, etc. I don't have the article in front of me but I believe the Fiat 500, the Jeep Compass and Cherokee took 5 of the top 10 categories. Terrible ratings for these models. Good luck with the new minivan......... Like Ron White says......

[Austin]

DC transmission is not doable with the current car.




If they truly wanted volume, they would add the convertible, and they would add a paddle shift auto... its just the way it is.
Markets change, and products must change to match the market. Heck watch the Ford presentation at the Detroit auto show...
They spent 1/2 of the time talking about how Ford was changing to be a connectivity company that makes cars... with Ryan Seacrest moderating by the way.
Need to sell 2,000 cars... make the changes that sell them.

[str5010]

Paddle shift auto just unveiled in Detroit with the Force 1 V10.

[ViperRT98]

If the Viper really wants to be profitable than Dodge needs to really increase their marketing strategies and mass produce the Viper... Majority of consumers does not realize the Viper is even still a production vehicle.

Just like Viper Pete stated earlier in a prior thread the Viper needs to come in an automatic... People love these paddle shifters, and the Viper can no longer be just an aggressive car but it would have to be a much tamer vehicle. By mass producing the Viper it should lower the cost and give a Corvette a real run for its money...

Maybe the Viper need to have different entry level points, where ACR would have the most horsepower and track-ready vehicle, while the GTS we only have 540 horsepower And the the GT having 450hp. Dodge would be able to mass produce all these vehicles and keep the Viper around.... however how many of you really want this to happen?

Some of us purchased the Viper Due to the wild beastie very raw automobile that it initially was in the 90's. while others purchased the Viper because it's rare and not very commonly seen... The entry level of exotics but the power of an elite supercar....

I would rather the Viper end production personally speaking and dodge come out with a different vehicle that can be the Vipers replacement. I personally do not want to see 1.5 million Vipers on the street like we see with the Corvette....

I really believed it was Dodges fault for the Gen 5 Failure to exceed their sales goals... the Viper will always be the best American affordable supercar ever built..... and dodges missed opportunities on capturing a huge market of not only fans of potential owners....

[Whitemamba]

I have a question that maybe some of you can answer regarding the Convertible and Coupe. Why couldn't Dodge have made and released the Convertible and Coupe at the same time? If you want to capture that Vert market, why not do it early on in the life of the vehicle? Here we are now and yet even though we have the Medusa, many people outside of the Viper followers, have no idea that a non factory Vert exists. And for that matter, many will not buy an aftermarket modification nor go thru the extra hassle. We have to assume that the Gen V was designed to be a convertible from the factory so why not do it. As has been stated many times, it was a pretty big market and always has been.

[Whitemamba]

Paddle shift auto just unveiled in Detroit with the Force 1 V10.

Very nice find. It is built on a Viper platform and uses the Viper motor.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/detroit-auto-show/2016/01/12/vlf/78684338/

14993

[Doug Nash]

Cool looking platform. 'Dan' Keating? Must be Ben's twin brother no one knew he had. I hate when reporters do not get the details correct. Nice reporting Robin. Idiot.

[daytonprowler]

From MotorAuthority

Production of the current Dodge Viper is scheduled to an end in 2017 and right now there doesn’t appear to be any plans for a successor. That doesn’t mean we’ll never see a Viper again, at least according to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles [NYSE:FCAU] CEO Sergio Marchionne.


At a press conference at this week’s Detroit Auto Show, attended by Automobile, Marchionne said there was the possibility a new Viper could be launched, and he hinted that such a car could be based on a shared platform as opposed to a bespoke design like the current model.


“Given the architectural development within the brand, there is a possibility that a new version of the Viper may surface,” Marchionne is quoted as saying. “Whether it will surface in time [to replace the current car] is unclear to me.”


Despite its giant-killing performance, Dodge sells less than a 1,000 Vipers per year, which is simply too low to support its specialized production at the Conner Avenue Assembly plant in Detroit. But a new Viper sharing a platform and production facilities with other FCA vehicles, like Maserati’s new sports car, may prove viable.


However, with a long list of more mainstream models due over the coming years, we wouldn’t count on FCA launching a new Viper anytime soon. That just means the current one will be much more collectible.

[Policy Limits]

Remember when all of those viper guys bad mouthed the car and then ended up buying it once they contributed to putting value in the crapper?

Pepperidge farm remembers

[Bad Brad]

Very Well Said , Viper RT/98

[ViperSmith]

Given the architectural development within the brand, there is a possibility that a new version of the Viper may surface," Marchionne said at his annual press conference.

"Whether it will surface in time [to replace the current Viper] is unclear to me.” He indicated that other FCA nameplates will have priority over a new Viper.

Reading between the lines, it sounds like something is already in the works.

We know when the current iteration is going to be on the chopping block. It really just sounds if timing will work out for the Gen VI to be released.

[Policy Limits]

Dodge, in addition to the above noted naysayers share blame. But ultimately at the end of the day it's a car where the folks who actually want it can't afford it and the folks who can afford it don't want it.

A loaded ACR is 150k. That puts you in a price point with Lotus Evora S, 911 C4S, and Maserati Granturismo Sport. And most would choose the more exotic brand name for the dough.

[Ripper]

Dodge, in addition to the above noted naysayers share blame. But ultimately at the end of the day it's a car where the folks who actually want it can't afford it and the folks who can afford it don't want it.

A loaded ACR is 150k. That puts you in a price point with Lotus Evora S, 911 C4S, and Maserati Granturismo Sport. And most would choose the more exotic brand name for the dough.


Definitely on the pricey side.

That same dough could score a decent Lambo - Super G

[VenomousOne]

Why all the sudden television ads? I thought with all this publicity the viper was here to stay. From a business prospective you usually don't advertise something that is being discontinued. Are they maybe trying to go out with a bang? As long as I can remember I've never seen this many tv ads and I love it!

[Angleiron]

There is a dealer advertising a Gen V stating that this is the last year for the Viper.

[v10enomous]

There is a dealer advertising a Gen V stating that this is the last year for the Viper.

He dusted off his signs from 2010.

[Augdog1964]

There is a dealer advertising a Gen V stating that this is the last year for the Viper.

I've emailed that guy to inform him that '16 is not the last year, '17 may in fact be it... and he said that the UAW contract says '16 is it... oh well.

[river rat]

The answer is right in front of them, just follow what Chevy does with the corvette.

[darbgnik]

Dodge, in addition to the above noted naysayers share blame. But ultimately at the end of the day it's a car where the folks who actually want it can't afford it and the folks who can afford it don't want it.

A loaded ACR is 150k. That puts you in a price point with Lotus Evora S, 911 C4S, and Maserati Granturismo Sport. And most would choose the more exotic brand name for the dough.

This is exactly the problem. Most people, who spend in this price range, purchase a brand to attach themselves to, not a car. The Viper is an exotic without an exotic name or brand. So it's lost. At this price point, most people pay for cache, not performance. At this price point, the car needs just enough performance for a pass, not a win.
Truly exotic brands have the right to tell everyone what they want, but Dodge isn't that brand. Dodge can't tell people you don't need telescopic steering wheels, but Lamborghini can. Dodge can't tell people that when you make a carbon fiber piece as large as the hood of a Viper, and as light as it was designed to be, that you can't make the panel gaps laser thin, that it won't work. But Ferrari can. Hell, they enlarge the ridiculous gap surrounding the engine cover on the LaFerrari, tell the press it is a styling cue, and nobody questions it.

I read the complaints about Viper, compare it to other exotics I've owned and driven, and think to myself, that other car's worse in that respect. Yet I'll never read those complaints about true exotics, because they're smarter than the reviewers, but Dodge isn't. Serious sarcasm here, by the way.

Add to this deficit, the fact that buyers pay premium cash for a car, only to get the regular plebian treatment from dealers.

[Angleiron]

Very nice find. It is built on a Viper platform and uses the Viper motor.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/detroit-auto-show/2016/01/12/vlf/78684338/

14993

Take a look at the Fisker Karma...almost the same car. Fisker is the guy who got your tax dollars and then filed bankruptcy.

[ViperJon]

Definitely on the pricey side.

That same dough could score a decent Lambo - Super G

Yeah. Mine.....:) And it's a lot more than decent.

[Ripper]

Yeah. Mine.....:) And it's a lot more than decent.



Exactly !! And yep , your car is damn nice!!!!!

And Nothing better than having a Viper AND Lambo out in the garage!

[Uncle Paul]

Would be a shame if the mighty Viper gets killed off by an air bag...

http://www.motortrend.com/news/the-d...rtain-airbags/

[Rapidrezults]

Exactly !! And yep , your car is damn nice!!!!!

And Nothing better than having a Viper AND Lambo out in the garage!

This ^^^^. #LivinTheDream -ViperJon :)